Allen disappointed but optimistic

Sonics star confident team staying

Ray Allen, the face of the Sonics franchise and the team's highest-paid player, said he remains optimistic that the Sonics will remain in Seattle and play in a new arena.

In his first print interview since the team was purchased by an Oklahoma City-based ownership group led by tycoon Clay Bennett, Allen said he was "disappointed" by the news, especially since none of the players was informed of any impending sale by outgoing owner Howard Schultz.

"I didn't have an idea, I don't think any of us did," he said Monday afternoon. "I know we talked about it in our exit meetings, about the possible sale of the team. One thing I told ownership was just to make sure to let all the guys know if something is going down because you don't want to be blindsided with questions and not knowing what's potentially going to happen, and that's kind of what happened.

"We didn't know anything about it and we weren't educated enough to talk about it."

Despite his frustration because of the lack of communication, Allen said he doesn't envision the Sonics leaving Seattle. Bennett has maintained he will give the city of Seattle an opportunity to keep the team by building a new arena, although that has been met with skepticism.

"These days right here nobody will remember," Allen said. "Our team will be here. There will be a new building, wherever it is. I will say we will be playing basketball in this region. I'm confident. The only thing I am worried about is people becoming pessimistic and saying the season is over with and the team is gone and nobody supporting the team."

Allen said he wants to stress patience before judging Bennett's intentions. Signed to a five-year, $80 million deal last summer, Allen is considered the team spokesman and cornerstone of the franchise along with forward Rashard Lewis.

Allen said he has not met with Bennett, although he would like to soon, nor has he talked with Schultz. The Sonics have four more years on their lease, but Bennett said he will give the city 12 months to develop a plan for a new arena or he will pursue relocation.

"If the owner bought the team and he said the team is now being moved to Oklahoma City, then everybody should pitch a fit and be very disappointed," he said. "But this team is a Seattle team. It's here. (Bennett) said he's going to give every chance for this team to succeed and be here and hope the city comes up with a just deal to build a new building."

Allen said he has spoken with Lewis, who also expressed disappointment at the decision. Both players own homes in the area and have become fixtures in the community. Allen is not sold on the idea of Oklahoma City.

"That's something my family would have to decide if it came down to it," he said if the team relocates. "I don't know if I would want to live in Oklahoma City and at this point I would say no. But that's just a decision that has to be made at the time."

Allen maintains he wants to be part of negotiations with the city to build a new venue.

"I would like to be involved with the building of a new arena," he said. "This team is here and we have to do everything we can to keep it here and support it. The building is not going to be for the owners, it's going to be for the city. The people are going to decide whether this thing is going to work."

While Allen said he enjoys playing at KeyArena, he admits parts of the arena are in decline and do not meet standards set by recent NBA venues.

"It's so antiquated in comparison to the rest of the NBA," he said. "The Key has its own personality. It's not some cookie-cutter design. Underneath is a different story. You can't get phone service, wireless Internet, the locker rooms are small, coaches don't have their own offices. When you compare it to a lot of other arenas, those things stand out. It's 2006. You have to update."

The Sonics didn't exactly endear their fan base with a 35-win season in 2005-06 and the team's popularity is in decline after four non-playoff seasons in the past five years. The one remedy that could garner support for a state-of-the-art venue is simply winning.

"If we came off a 60-win season, everybody would say, 'We gotta keep the Sonics,' " Allen said. "If we were fresh off a playoff run, people would say we have to keep this team here. Regardless of whether we win or not, this team is here and this team is going to help raise your kids and serve as an ambassador. It's their team. We have a great responsibility to make sure we do all we can to make sure we keep this team here."